Posted on 05/19/2005 11:05:47 AM PDT by .cnI redruM
On February 2, 2003, when seven-year-old Danielle van Dam disappeared from her family home in the middle of the night, every mother’s nightmare was played out on national television for almost a month while authorities searched for the girl. When Danielle’s body was found at the end of that month, the police and prosecutors discovered a frightening story about a neighbor of Danielle’s who had computer files filled with child pornography and even a sickening cartoon video of the rape of a young girl.
According to a report by Robert Peters, president of Morality in Media, on the link between pornography and violent sex crimes, the prosecutor in the Danielle van Dam case said “The video represented [the defendant’s] sexual fantasies and inspired the abduction, rape, and murder of Danielle.” According to Raymond Pierce, a retired NYPD detective who worked on the sex-crimes squad for many years and is now a criminal-profiling consultant, about 80 percent of rapists and serial killers are heavy pornography users. I was a victim of an attempted rape by a disturbed man who turned out to be involved in pornography.
May is Victims of Pornography Month. Today Senator Sam Brownback (R., Kan.), Rep. Katherine Harris (R., Fla.), Rep. Joe Pitts (R., Pa.), and leaders from the values community will participate in a summit to explore the troubling connection between pornography and violence against women and children.
Florida attorney general Charlie Crist advises parents that “we must never lose sight of the fact that sexual predators make the online world a dangerous place for innocent children. Parents must be ever-vigilant to make sure their children are not exposed to images and messages that would have been unthinkable just a generation ago.” Crist warns that we cannot allow the Internet to be a “pipeline for pornography aimed at children.” But while parents can use available means to protect their children when they are in their own homes, there is a cultural climate surrounding our children that threatens them the way Danielle van Dam was threatened. Because of the availability of pornography online, there is no way of knowing what lurks in the hearts of our neighborhoods.
More needs to be done to evaluate the connection between violent predatory behavior and pornography, and to crack down on these violent predators. Police and law-enforcement officers across the country report brutal instances in which those addicted to pornography utilized its sadistic images on their female and child victims.
Just this past February, the New York Times reported a story about a teenage babysitter who had raped three young children he was watching in their homes. According to the Times, his pattern was to watch pornographic videos with the oldest of the children, a 12-year-old boy, and intimidate them all by torturing them with a knife and threats to their family members. Perhaps one of the most notorious serial killers, Ted Bundy, participated in an interview with Dr. James Dobson shortly before he was executed. In the interview, Bundy explained, “I’ve lived in prison for a long time now. And I’ve met a lot of men who were motivated to commit violence like me. And without exception, every one of them was deeply involved in pornography — without exception, without exception — deeply influenced and consumed by an addiction to pornography.”
Since 1956, the Supreme Court has made clear that the First Amendment does not protect obscene materials. If we know from the perpetrators themselves how obscenity contributes to violence against women and children, what can we do?
We need to fund more studies of the addiction to pornography and its effects on violent behavior. Parents can install filters on any computer used by children and keep the family computer in a central location, not in a child's bedroom or someplace where parents might not regularly see it. We need to demand tougher law enforcement on the state and federal level. The Bush administration is stepping up federal enforcement of obscenity laws. This is a good first step. Contact the U.S. attorney for your district and ask what they are doing to enforce the laws. We need tougher state penalties against both possession and distribution of child porn and passing any kind of pornographic material to kids. Experts indicate that pornography is often used by pedophiles to break down the resistance of child victims. Parents should check out their state’s penalties for child rape and make sure offenders are going to jail and staying there for these offenses. Florida, for example, just passed a tough new law after the tragedy involving Jessica Lunsford, whose killer was a recently released violent offender. We should pass legislation to address the threat to children on the Internet. This includes chat sites, websites, spam, and peer-to-peer networks. Peer-to-Peer networks are of particular concern because they are widely visited by kids and offer porn for free without any age verification.
As Rep. Katherine Harris has pointed out, "Pornography displays human beings as objects, obliterating the wall between an individual's sick fantasies and the compulsion to act upon them. Often, the monsters who hurt women and children start with this malignant desensitizer." We need to all work together to find better ways to protect women and children against this violence.
How much do you suppose a good certified marriage & family therapist charges per hour? $99 sounds like a bargain.
Of course, if a guy doesn't get help, he'll probably end up paying over $200 an hour for a lawyer after his wife serves him with divorce papers.
Since when is the truth liberal? If one has to believe that everything before us were perfect in order to be conservative, then count me out. Of course, I don't think you believe that at all. I think you just said what you said in lieu of an intelligent response.
Betcha the guy can go to his pastor for free, and if he doesn't have one, he can find one free too.
And that is why porn addicts will so vehemently object to your point of view. They know in their heart that you are right, but they cannot bear to admit that the perversion they lust after makes them more like homos than woman-satisfying real men.
It would be indentured servitude and not slavery. The real distinction between slavery and indentured servitude is that offspring of slaves are slaves, and the offspring of the indentured are free.
What an absurdly ignorant statement.
It was so-called "theocons" that founded this free republic. It was the rallying of "theocons" that brought Ronald Reagan to power and continue to grow the Republican party through the grass roots. Most leftists who become conservatives end up doing so out of religious conviction. Get rid of the "theocons" and the Republican party withers, and we can kiss our free republic good-bye.
Of course, I know you will not understand that. It was one of Ronald Reagan's most trusted advisors who conducted the most comprehensive investigation on how destructive pornography is - at President Reagan's directive. Besmirch the Reagan legacy if you will, and you only show your true colors.
Typical leftisit propaganda straight out of the Marxist/PC/RDDB playbook.
About six months ago. When was the last time you read the Declaration of Independence?
Not really. The opinion that someone lusting after porn women is a homosexual is just plain weird. For the vast majority of men who enjoy heterosexual porn, any images of homosexual sex would be a pretty quick turnoff.
but they cannot bear to admit that the perversion they lust after makes them more like homos than woman-satisfying real men.
Um, when a guy watches porn, he is lusting after the porn girls. Whatever other issues there might be with that in terms of morality, homosexuality is not one of them.
Only in your bizarro world does lusting after buxom female porn stars make one a homosexual. Weird.
As do the "actors" in pornographic movies.
If you pay to watch the movie, you are a "john."
Prostitution is the combination of sex and capitalism.
Which of these two things don't you like?
The standard argument used by the Metropolitan Community Church and homosexuality advocates.
Prostitution and capitalism are both forms of idolatry.
You're opposed to capitalism, too?
Where are we getting these newbies these days?
XR7 wrote: Prostitution and capitalism are both forms of idolatry.
You Wrote: You're opposed to capitalism, too?
Where are we getting these newbies these days?
My reply: So XR7 believes that Capitalism is idolatry, hmmm I will read his/her posts with a more critical eye.
Actually Modernman, I think you offered the best debate on the topic. AND I still am opposed to porn, think that people who consume it do so at theri own peril, it is a poor substituition for human contact and interaction.
BUT in this country we don't want government running our lives. At first f I could be shown a direct corralation between porn and crime I think I could have justified a ban. However the web statistics clearly show that much to my surprise porn is a lot bigger product than I thought it was.
If it is consumed/watched by so many millions, and 99.9% of the consumers are not out committing sex crimes or other crimes then you can't really deny the public their right to have porn if they want it. There is no statistical correlation between porn and crime. We just don't go around banning everything that is not good for you. The sickos who can't handle it and go out and commit crimes, they probablyw ould have done so anyway, porn or no porn.
When I brought up "home movies" between a married couple none of the anti-porn people could manage a decent argument that this variety of porn should be banned. I mean if you are going to ban porn, then you ban it all, right? If personal porn is okay with 'yall then what really is the difference between personal porn and public porn? Both versions are, "caught on tape"
As a closing thought things that are done in the privacy of your own homes, between consenting adults are really nobody elses business. 'Taint my bidness.
Now let's ban violent movies, which I think are even worse than porn. Also I think we should ban music which encourages violence, particually against wimmin. Some of the music is so slutty it makes you want to throw up. If we are going to ban somethings, then I go for violent movies and slutty music. Once those 2 are banned we can come back and talk about if porn should next be up on the top of the "Let's ban this" list. Porn is not on the public airwaves, nobody is exposed to it unless they actively go look for it, I am on the internet all the time and I have never found it, EVER, I guess if thaaaaats what some people want, well okay, I'm protected from not having to see it.
"What is homosexual sex but mutual masturbation anyway? Just trading one man's hand for another. Pretty sick if you ask me.
And that is why porn addicts will so vehemently object to your point of view. They know in their heart that you are right, but they cannot bear to admit that the perversion they lust after makes them more like homos than woman-satisfying real men."
Whoa. That's what you get for arguing with a moron. Moronic responses. Pointing the finger and calling somebody gay is undignified when John Kerry does it. When a conservative does it, it's an embarrassment to us all. Can't it be perverse on its own merits without you linking it to gayness? Do you touch yourself with rubber gloves when you pee, or are you into" golden showers" and "watersports"? Retard logic.
I happen to know several very nice homosexual men and women and I have news for you, they are not homosexual becasue of watching porn!
Bird, I would appreciate it very much if you would not use the word, "retard" I know I am going to sound horribly lefty for writing this and I really am NOT, but please consider if it is good taste. There are many people who are cognitivly disabled, and "retard" is a word that is painfull and hurts families who have a family member who is cognitively disabled.
Moron, I'll give you moron and I also agree with your opinion!
Sorry for my insensitivity, ExPatInFrance.
You're right, I should have thought of a better way to express myself.
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